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Who are Arcadian opera?

In 2016 Alison Marshall and Justin Lavender realised their long held ambition to launch a new opera company.
For several years they have worked successfully in partnership for other opera companies but felt the need to establish a company in their home county of Buckinghamshire...read more

The team

Justin Lavender

Justin was persuaded by Peter Pears and Benjamin Britten to abandon nuclear engineering for music. He made his international debut in The Pearl Fishers at the Sydney Opera House.

Alison Marshall

Alison was professional ballet dancer in Germany, ballet roles permitting, she would occasionally sing in the chorus of the opera company resident in the same theatre. This love of opera stood Alison in good stead as she was forced to retire from ballet through injury.

Sir Simon Keenlyside

The world renowned baritone Simon Keenlyside agreed to be the President of Arcadian Opera. Simon was impressed by our La Boheme recording and is eager to help us help aspiring young singers as well as supporting our local enterprise.

Testimonials

What people have been saying...

Anthony Wallersteiner, Headmaster of Stowe School

"Music and singing of the highest quality."

We are delighted to welcome music and singing of the highest quality. Arcadian will undoubtedly complete the Stowe sensory experience and we look forward to an enduring partnership which will attract new audiences for opera from across the country.

Stephen Gadd, Baritone

"I felt very privileged"

I felt very privileged to take part in the company's auspicious inaugural concert, which combined top quality with a great sense of fun.

Natasha Day, Soprano

"Sheer enjoyment"

Arcadian Opera has the wonderful objective of engaging young, emerging artists and members of the local community to create bold, enriching productions with orchestra. The sense of sheer enjoyment is shared by everyone involved.

Were looking for a wide variety of people to help make Arcadian Opera a success

Latest news

Rehearsals have begun! The singers are learning their parts, the orchestra have been engaged, the back stage crew have been contracted and a lot of costumes have been made. Now we just have to find an audience… Only joking! Tickets are on sale and are going fast. We are thrilled to be welcoming audience members […]

Arcadian Opera is proud to have assembled a first-rate cast of soloists for our forthcoming production of Ethel Smyth’s The Wreckers, celebrating the centenary of women’s suffrage and paying homage to a great suffragette and one of England’s finest composers. Thirza Jennifer Parker Mark Brian Smith-Walters Pascoe Steven East Avis April Fredrick Lawrence Ian Beadle […]

Auditions for principals for our full production of Ethel Smyth’s great operatic masterpiece will be held over the weekend of 7th/8th April, most probably one day in London and the other in Buckinghamshire. This will be a professional engagement, fees yet to be decided. The musical director will be Justin Lavender and the stage director […]

To celebrate the Centenary of Women’s Suffrage Arcadian Opera will be mounting a full production of Ethel Smyth’s great operatic masterpiece. Most unjustly neglected at a time when women composers were simply not taken seriously in this country, Ethel compounded her controversial status by her close association with the suffragette movement. The opera will be […]

Arcadian Opera are delighted to announce the line up for their second Opera Gala on 3 June 2017 at Stowe, Buckingham. Rejoining us after last year’s Opera Gala triumph is the lovely and ever fascinating mezzo-soprano Louise Crane. We also welcome back Natasha Day, our fabulous Mimi from our recent production of La Boheme, alongside […]

Puccini’s ever popular La Boheme is startlingly reimagined in Arcadian Opera’s first ever production for the Roxborough Theatre at Stowe. The struggling bohemians of fin de siècle Paris are transported to the fringes of the Bloomsbury group in 1930s London. Sung in English, with orchestral accompaniment, the vibrant score relating the tale of the passionate […]

We are delighted to announce we will be performing our first Gala. It will start at 8pm on 24th March 2016. It is in the The Music Room, Stowe School. Performers will include Justin Lavender, The Opera Babes and many more. About the babes Back in 2000 two girls were busking in London’s Covent Garden. Overnight they became the […]